How to Enjoy a Couple's Outing when Traveling with Children

When traveling to a new destination, many couples with young children are under the impression that unless there is a family member around to watch the children, they are not able to enjoy a couple's evening out due to babysitting duties. While this has been true in the past, many destinations are recognizing this need and are making it easier for husbands and wives to enjoy some quiet time alone while on a family vacation.

If traveling to a major destination such as a theme park or all-inclusive resort, many locations have child enrichment centers located on their properties. Disney World, for example, offers these in most of their more expensive resorts, however, anyone staying on Disney property can take advantage of these childcare locations. They require separate payment and charge either by the hour or by the planned activity/excursion.

When making reservations, ask your prospective resort if it has any established childcare services available for their guests, and find out if it would fit into your plans. Some good questions to ask include: hours and days of operation, daily or hourly fee charge, ages served, activities provided, meal/snack options and caregiver to child ratio. If this seems like a service that would be a good choice, inquire as whether or not advance reservations are required.

Should a resort's childcare facility not accommodate your needs, there are other options available to help plan your couple's outing. First, when you make your reservations, ask to be connected to guest services or the front desk. There, explain that you are in need of a sitter and ask if the resort has a list of sitters it contracts with to provide childcare services. Many times a resort will hire sitters and employ them on an as-needed basis for families that are seeking someone to care for their children in the comfort and privacy of their own hotel room. If the resort does not employ sitters in that capacity, then there is another alternative that can be booked ahead of your arrival date.

Many nanny and home healthcare agencies hire sitters to work on short-term assignments. They can be easily located by searching your destination's telephone book or by performing an Internet search. These agencies usually charge by the number of children needing services and sometimes they will not send a sitter for an assignment that is less than four hours in duration, as it is not cost effective for the agency to do so. When inquiring about services, in addition to the above questions, some other topics to be discussed should be: are the sitters CPR/First Aid certified? Do they have a criminal background check? Can I reach someone in the event that my sitter does not show?

After receiving answers to all of these inquiries, if you are satisfied that you have found a sitter suited to your family's needs, be sure to plan for the activity, meals, and emergencies. Make a schedule that keeps to your children's normal routine as much as possible and include your phone number. Also, if you plan on having your children eat room service while you are gone, you can always pre-order their meals and have them delivered to the room at a specific time.

While these childcare preparations can seem very lengthy, as a parent, you would only want the best for your child and by choosing the most optimal childcare solution; you are providing them with excellent care. With some careful planning, you and your spouse can enjoy a stress-free couple's outing and know that your children are in good hands while you are away.